Transgender Day of Remembrance: Did You Know?

On today, the Transgender Day of Remembrance, I found myself looking through a list of the people who were murdered in the past year because of their gender identity.

That list can be found here: www.transgenderdor.org...

It is difficult to accurately estimate the prevalence of transgender people in Western countries. As many as 2-3% of biological males engage in cross-dressing, at least occasionally. Current estimates of the prevalence of transsexualism are about 1 in 10,000 for biological males and 1 in 30,000 for biological females. The number of people in other transgender categories is unknown.

www.apa.org...

Also see:

...Using the above calculation, 1,000,000 (1 million) men in the U.S. are transgendered, making it 1 in 500. If this applies worldwide (broad assumption) then 14,000,000 (14 million) men worldwide are transgendered - not including women. Using the DSM IV's estimate of 3 : 1 (transsexuals) then 14,000,000 men and 4,666,000 women for a total guesstimate of at least 18,666,000 transgendered persons worldwide.

wiki.answers.com...

Information on Day of Remembrance:

The Transgender Day of Remembrance began in the wake of the November 28, 1998 murder of African-American transwoman Rita Hester of Boston, MA. Rita’s murder was the impetus for San Francisco based activist Gwen Smith to begin the Remembering Our Dead web project and organize a vigil in San Francisco on the one year anniversary of Rita’s murder.

globalcomment.com...


Hundreds of people are murdered every year because of their gender identity.

You may be asking where the conspiracy is.

Well, when are these murders reported in the main stream media? Did you have any idea the sheer vast number of people murdered in South America every single year because they are transgender? I have no idea what happens in South America, the news doesn't tell us, at least in the United States. What about elsewhere?

This is awful.

Please, take a few minutes today to remember and pay attention to the people who have lost their lives and the people who are put at risk everyday by living their lives and being transgender.

If you have inappropriate comments, please don't bother posting here. I have numerous transgender friends, and this is a serious issue about hate crimes and discrimination and the suppression of an epidemic of hate and violence against people simply living their lives.

Did you know this was going on? Did you really? Did you have any idea that so many people were murdered because they were transgender in 2009 ALONE?

If not, why not?

If you don't feel inclined to say so, but you do support the transgender community, this is the time to do it.

I support the transgender community and I want to make others aware of the epidemic of hate crimes against transgender individuals. What about you?

[edit on 11/20/2009 by ravenshadow13]

Consider for a moment, that hundreds of people of a 2-3% of the population is a startlingly high rate.

reply to post by ravenshadow13


the lack of reporting is disturbing. i also find disturbing the reports of black on white violence that goes virtually untouched on by the MSM. good work here.

reply to post by snusfanatic


Maybe where you live. Where I live, I feel that reports of black on white crimes are often exaggerated. But I could be wrong. However, let's stay on topic.




Jackboot- I agree. It's actually sickening. And looking at that list, at how many of the cases are clustered in certain countries, like Brazil... that's ridiculous. And I feel that it could be strongly linked to gang violence. Gang violence is so difficult to understand and prevent... it's very unfortunate.

reply to post by ravenshadow13


It is certainly a horrible thing when anyone is murdered for any reason - period. The problem I have with the recognition of any one group is that it both assumes the motives of the individual committing the crime (as does all hate crime law), but also does not recognize other groups who are victims of crime for reasons only having to do with how they are.

How many whites are murdered because they are white and happen to be in the "wrong" neighborhood?
How many blacks are murdered for the same reason
All other ethnic groups are in this group
How many Jewish people are murdered because they are wearing clothing which identifies them as Jewish?

My point is that in all cases it is wrong. You would never see on the news "White male in Brooks Brothers suit killed" for any reason. Yet it is far easier to identify the gent in the suit than it is a transgendered individual, which in many cases takes some close examination.

Rather than isolate the individual and suggesting the reason for the crime how about we simply acknowledge the fact that every day people are murdered for reasons having to do with who they are.

There are far more people killed simply by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Thugs are thugs and most of the time target people. What classification or group that person belongs to is not necessarily factors and in most cases I would guess they are not.

reply to post by dolphinfan


I disagree. I think that statistics show there is a very high rate of crimes directed at transgender individuals. Your hypothesis about the "suit" idea, or identifiability, may be accurate. But that also means that people are going around actively looking for individuals that appear to be transgender to commit hate crimes on, which sort of opposes your other argument.

You're right that people are often murdered for who they are. That is what this is about. That's why we need to support the transgender community, because it is okay for them to be who they are, and they have a right to not be murdered.

The classification or grouping of individuals as transgender puts them in a significantly higher risk category. And that's a problem. We need to be supportive, we need to remember those who have been hurt or killed, and we need to spread awareness in our communities that it is not okay to harm or kill anyone, or discriminate. On this day we spread awareness to support the transgender individuals in our communities around the world.

Thanks for sharing this, I'm not sure if I'm surprised.

I'm also not surprised that people don't care thanks to bigotry.

reply to post by Goathief


I'm not surprised, either. I'm just really sad and disappointed.

In humanity.

But, when am I not sad and disappointed in humanity?

You're welcome.

Very tragic indeed.
Scrolling through and reading how some of these folks where killed is very bothersome to me personally. And while it might not be well known in the mainstream, its very well known to the transgendered community.

Its never a safe bet to go out alone, or travel lightly for these people. There is sadly also alot of escorts when it comes to transgender folks, and they make easy targets as most these girls go it alone, and put themselfs in harms way 80% of the time. This makes for a bad stigma to other Transgendered folks who hold regular jobs, and try their best to fit into society.

There is always a huge danger when you go outside of what is the "norm". Some people just don't understand how dangerous it really is out there.
Threads and posts like this can raise the awareness level and bring it to the fore front. But sadly most of these cases will fall to the sidelines due to the out right bigotry our world holds for those who are different.

And its hard to find the right words to say about this subject.
Sometimes these things are out of our hands, but in some cases I read, the girls put themselfs in really bad places. And granted just because they didnt use comman sense does not mean they should have been murdered!
And many where just outright murdered with no other reason than them being themselfs.. Shameful! Sad, and hurtful...

If anything this teaches us, and transgendered, if you are going out.. Try not to go it alone.. That way you will have a fighting chance..

reply to post by zysin5


*hugs*

That was an excellent post. Thank you.

i think we sohuld all go out and cross dress for a day to honor these brave individuals.

reply to post by STFUPPERCUTTER


STF- I think that is a great sentiment (assuming you're not being sarcastic), but somehow I think that it may not go over so well and that many people would take advantage of it as an opportunity to be discriminatory or inappropriate.

As a gay man i still find it horrible to think people are persecuted in this day and age for being who they are......... Im lucky to live in a relatively enlightened class and country, and have never had any problems. But i always feel for those less fortunate and hope one day we will all exept each other for who we are no matter what our sexuality.

My brother (sister, still getting used to it lol) recentley came out as a transexual and is now on HRT and is living as a female full time. She has had a nasty response from family and friends, but she is now as happy as i ever seen her.

I think it comes down to education about the condition, however people will always find it strange, but to murder someone because of gender issues... Well i have no words....

S and F

blackrabbit and Selahobed- Thank you both so much for sharing your personal experiences with us.

I, too, hope for the day when we can all be accepting of one another's differences.